From Then to Now
by iwillstillopenthewindow
Summary: Rin knew from the start that they wouldn't get along. But then here he was, with Haru's sleeping face next to his. [word prompts]


**A/N:** This is my contribution to the 30daysofrin countdown. Also, the RinHaru love children are also dorks like their parents.

Disclaimer: No, I do not own Free!

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**1. First Impression**

There was no way that he and that stoic looking little kid (somewhere in the back of his mind, a little voice reminded him that he, too, was just a kid) would get along. Rin had heard a lot about the boy, like how insanely good he was in swimming. Rin shrugged them off as false rumors. The kid didn't seem to talk much, and he had not seen him crack even just a tiny smile. Rin, on the other hand, talked a bit too much sometimes, his face lighted up by his smile. Yeah, they would not get along at all.

That was what he thought, until the boy dived in.

**2. Waiting**

It took him a long time to get the boy swim with him. Rin couldn't understand. The boy wanted to swim freestyle, didn't he? He was more than happy to give him that spot in the relay, but it took a lot more urging for him to finally join the team. It was a ton of work.

But all those things, the "Nanase Nanase Nanase", "let's swim in a relay", "I told you I'll let you swim free", those were pushed away as he cheered his friend on.

It wasn't long before Rin pulled him and the others in for a victory hug.

**3. Fly**

While he was in Australia, Rin would often calculate how far he was from _home_. He'd actually search Google, and the large number would make him wish that he could sprout wings. The thought itself was so ridiculous that Rin laughed bitterly to himself.

**4. Home**

Rin continued to stare at the miles displayed on the search results every single day, hoping that his glare would scare some of the numbers away. Maybe he could swim all the way back?

He did visit his family sometimes. Whatever he felt while he was in Australia would be blown away by the company of his mother and the smile of his little sister, Gou.

However, on the plane ride back, the same feelings that he thought had already dissolved would come back in an even greater intensity. Why was this so?

He found the answer on a cold day, near the train tracks, with Haru on the other side.

**5. Warmth**

He was all bundled up with his coat and scarf, and so was the other boy.

"You could have called," was enough to make his heart beat erratically.

**6. Pain**

It was what he felt when he resurfaced and saw that Haru was already there.

It was what he saw in deep pools of blue.

It was what he felt once more when he pushed him away.

The feeling didn't really go away.

**7. Reunion**

This was the last place where he saw him and this was the place where he got to see him again after all these years.

This was the place where he was going to leave him again.

**8. Trapped**

Both of them built up walls to keep others away.

They didn't notice that they kept each other away as well.

**9. Loss**

He won, he won, he _won_. He won against Haru. Against _Haru_.

To say that Rin was happy would be an understatement. He _won_. _Haru_ lost. To _him_.

But when the pain, the same pain from before, the one he thought was gone, acted up again, as he saw Haru and his team swimming, Rin had to wonder whether he really won or not.

**10. Torment**

"It's your fault that Haruka-senpai stopped swimming!"

"Haruka-senpai felt guilty about beating you in middle school!"

"What do you want from Haruka-senpai?!"

**11. Courage**

"I want to swim with you guys!"

**12. Rescue**

"It's my turn to show you a sight you've never seen before."

**13. Beautiful**

He had dirt on his face and his clothes were a mess. His hair was disheveled and he looked stupid, with his hand outstretched and all those cherry blossom petals falling around him.

Before Rin knew it, he had already reached out.

**14. Love**

Wait, where _did_ all those cherry blossoms come from anyway?

**15. Weakness**

It had been three months, two weeks and five days since they 'won' (not that Rin was keeping count or anything, pssshh). There were people everywhere (why the heck did he choose a _park_, of all places) and he could see Gou, Rei, Nagisa, and Makoto hiding in the nearby bushes.

But they weren't the reason why Rin broke down and forgot his well-thought out 'please go out with me' speech and just barely managed to embarrassingly shout out an "I LIKE YOU gO OuT WITH meeEEE".

It was Haru's smile.

**16. Strength**

It was the same reason why he all but ran away from the stage and hugged him before he walked back, all flustered, to receive his gold medal.

**17. Precious**

…Was the word that Haru whispered before he sneakily took a picture of Rin's sleeping face.

**18. Lie**

"I love mackerel more than you."

**19. Regret**

"Rin, I was joking. Give me back my jammers."

"You have others, don't you? Use those."

"But I like the way that one fits."

**20. Vengeance**

"HARU I'M MISSING A BRACELET."

"You have others, don't you? Use those."

"BUT THAT ONE GOES SO WELL WITH THE CLOTHES I'M WEARING RIGHT NOW."

**21. Kiss**

Rin found out that Haru tasted sweet.

He didn't really like sweets, but he'll make an exception for this one.

**22. Mend**

There were still nights when Rin would wake up all sweaty and scared. He was sure that he didn't make any sound, since Haru, who was sleeping right beside him, was still peacefully asleep.

There was one night when he might have screamed 'dad' and he woke up in Haru's arms.

**23. Return**

"Rin."

"What?"

"That bracelet ruins your outfit."

"THEN GIVE ME BACK MY FUCKING BRACELET."

"Then give me back my jammers."

**24. Exposed**

Rin searched the whole house for his bracelet. He didn't find it. He stomped his way to Haru, who was napping on their couch. Rin was ready to shake him awake and demand for his bracelet once more, but stopped when he saw what was on the other boy's wrist.

**25. White Flag**

Haru woke up and found his missing pair of jammers neatly folded on their coffee table.

**26. Remembrance**

"Heh, I'll show you a sight you've never seen before." Rin whispered against Haru's skin.

**27. Tease**

"Round two, eh?" Rin smirked down at Haru, who promptly pulled Rin down for a kiss. Sensing that Rin was, well, preoccupied, Haru took the opportunity to sit up and pushed Rin down.

Haru sat on Rin's flat tummy, pressed a few kisses on his neck before looking up and saying, "It's my turn to show you a sight you've never seen before."

**28. Family**

"You guys can be such dorks sometimes." Niji, their oldest, said while they were eating breakfast.

"Especially at night." He continued with a teasing tone.

"!"

"What do you mean, Niji?" Sakura asked.

"Well—"

"IT'S TIME FOR SCHOOL! HARU, HAND ME MY KEYS."

**29. Loyal**

"You are forbidden to go to that shop ever again."

"What?"

"I saw the way you looked at the shopkeeper!"

"He told me that mackerel was 10% off."

**30. Together**

At the end of the day, when the kids were in bed, when the lights were off, when they were no longer famous swimmers, when they were just Rin and Haru, the former would often stay up late. He didn't really do anything, though. He just lied there in bed, his eyes on Haru's face.

They had grown up, both of them. He, however, still smiled and laughed more often than the other man. He liked meat and the other preferred mackerel. They still didn't get along at times, but here they were, in the same house, sleeping on the same bed, with two beautiful kids, with each other's hearts.

Rin would then forget about all the 'we'll never get along' from before, and would start wondering why on earth didn't they hook up earlier when they fit together this much.

He'd fall asleep with a smile on his face.

Haru would blink an eye open, smile, and press a soft kiss on Rin's cheek before going to sleep for real.

_God, they're absolute dorks_, was what Niji, who was peeking in through their door, would think before heading back to his room after making sure that his little brother was already asleep.


End file.
